Justice for the Fallen
by theunknownvoice
Summary: The boy reminds him too much of his brother.


Justice for the Fallen

Disclaimer: Under no circumstances can I claim ownership for Dissidia or Gabranth or Anything Final Fantasy. *hugs Gabranth. He is my favorite.

A/N: This story is connected to "You are Light, I am Darkness" and its rewrite "To Those Who are Called to Be" which will be posted soonish. Probably when this computer crap is straightened out. Also since my independent work is a series, I'm exploring with series. So this story like the Connected Grid Project is part of a series of Final Fantasy Dissidia stories.

He sees the boy again and wonders why anyone would return to this hell. It is something Basch would do. Yes, there is a faint glimmer in this boy that reminds of him of his brother. Though there are days he forgets Basch. Days that he forgets that he was ever Noah. Forgets that he was ever part of the light.

"Why have you returned here?"

His word sound foreign to himself. He doesn't much care for the solitude but the fact that this boy has returned is enough to make him feel. He swore never to feel again. Not after Larsa, not after watching his own twin watch the life fade out of him.

"To speak with you for a while. You looked as if our battle was cause of much pain."

This boy who reminds of the people of Dalmasca with their head cloths and who reminds of him of Basch stands with his weapons encased. He is calm much like Basch. A warrior that has seen many battles and the desire for peace is a part of him much like it was/is a part of Basch. Gabranth frowns, why come here defenseless? Perhaps it is that concept of peace. He has never known it, has never longed for it like this boy has.

"Would you speak to me to if I came as a warrior? No, we would fight," the boy answers recognizing his surprise.

"I desire not to speak."

It was a lie and the boy knew it. In his eyes was the brightness of truth. The burning away of the existence of the lie in those cerulean depths was enough to make Gabranth aware. This boy was not what he seemed.

"You said you were dog, a servant of Chaos. Yet in Chaos you found no peace. Why not turn back towards Cosmos. She spoke of you and your search for redemption."

"I am not of your ilk. I cannot find peace in Cosmos nor will I attempt again. I am only the judge of hell. Such is my fate and I will not challenge it."

The boy stares at him unconvincingly. In his hand is the image of a rose. "This is my dream," he says meeting Gabranth's hidden eyes, "I want the world to live in peace. I want the wild roses to bloom in freedom."

Gabranth wants to laugh at the dream. A world of flowers? What type of man wants a world of flowers? But inside his soul he can feel that faint stirring that idea brings. He can see in this rebel's eyes the lingering truth of what the dream truly means.

"You are a strong man to bear such a dream," Gabranth says quietly.

"It is not strength in having a dream. It is conviction."

"Yet you share your dream with all you know."

"Such is my fate; my very purpose in this war is to gift the dream to others. For dreams belong to all not to one."

Once Gabranth too believed that. He could see himself as the child he had once been. Much like the Onion Knight, he too had believed in his own strength. He had known then that he was destined for greatness. Blinded by his rage at Basch for abandoning him and their mother, Noah had embraced the darkness of the Empire. He had found himself lying and attempting to change the corruption from within. He had failed.

"I knew a man like you," the boy said breaking Gabranth's train of thought.

"I doubt it."

"He was my brother. When Mateus destroyed our home, he became a dark knight. With the emperor's fall, Leon believed he should rule. He thought he could change everything."

"He failed as I did."

"Yes, but he found redemption. He left us saying that he didn't belong with us anymore. Maria, our sister, was hurt by it but I understood. We could not force Leon to remain. He would never have forgiven himself if we had. His crimes against us would have consumed him. I forgave him. He hurt himself more than he had ever hurt us."

"I betrayed my own brother, a man who shared the very womb with me. I doubt that such a sin can be absolved by the mere phrase, 'I forgive you.'"

"Do not judge yourself. You alone made your decisions and you have paid. Cosmos told me that you sacrificed your life for another. She said in the end your brother forgave you. That he lives the life you made because he holds you close in his heart."

Gabranth bowed his head so Basch had kept his promise. "Did you speak of my lord?"

The youth nodded. "She says that he will one day bring peace to your world. He is of her order. His thoughts are often of you, his guardian. He acknowledges your sacrifice."

"Then he has become the man I knew he would."

Firion stared at the fallen man. Was there no hope for one such as Gabranth? No deliverance from the horrors of once being a servant of Chaos?

"Do not pity me warrior of Cosmos. I made my choice just as others have made that choice."

"But you are not the emperor," Firion said. "There is hope for you."

Gabranth wanted to smile at the youth's stubbornness. He was among the fallen. Perhaps in another life or one day maybe…

_You should listen to him._

_**And what do you know of it girl?**_

_I was there when you died. Now I'm only the advice column for the warriors. Firion, asked me of you. He wanted to know._

Gabranth tried not to groan. Penelo that had been her name and she alone from his world was here. Her voice often echoed in the back of his mind reminding him of being Noah.

"Perhaps warrior, there is hope for us all. But for now, I like Garland am condemned to my fate."

"What does that mean?"

But Gabranth did not answer as Firion faded from his realm.

"You have seen part of his future?"

Noah turned towards his only friend here. "Yes Garland. His future intertwines with final key."

"You are sure?"

"Yes."

"Then perhaps he is the one."

Gabranth gazed at where the warrior had been. The boy was too much like Basch for Noah to ignore him. Maybe just maybe there was a chance that he was the one.

"Perhaps."

The End


End file.
